Ohhhhh heeeyyy guys! Just popping in to do a big fat quarterly favorite things dump. Promise I mean to be better about blogging, and this little blog (just shy of her 8th birthday) is still such a great outlet… a creative one, a cathartic one; that’s what she was always meant to be. My lame excuse these days is that I have a permanently fatty pile of work, so it just never feels quite right putting clients on hold for the sake of fiddle faddling on here (even though, I swear, it’s good for the soul – and taking the time to feed my soul is what makes me better at what I do and better in general). Still, putting work on pause to blog feels like skipping school or faking sick to go to the movies, then running into your teacher in the popcorn line.. (haaaa, I can name no fewer than 6 of them currently reading this and being like, ‘where’s my so-and-so, Stephanie?!’) But I’ll try to do better balancing both. A plethora of work is a great problem to have – remind me to hire an assistant soon. Anyhow – I have SO MANY things I wanna spew at you guys and blog about, but today, the best I got is throwing my favorite things at you in no certain order… like my GG’s sweater that this ho bag stole. Just kidding, I’m sure she’s lovely. But heavens, how nubby is that sucker?

When it’s my turn, that’s what I’m doin. What else do you even need? Besides a taco truck.

These are gigantic and awesome and I’m so confused why the poor girl looks like her dog just died. I’d be STOKED if I was wearing those.

I love the Gaios from Visual Comfort (er, Circa Lighting is their retail front) so much it hurts. I think it’s the shape, and the organic quality of it, and the sheer girth – the base is about 16″ wide at its widest point.

I spent a night at Soho House in Malibu a few weeks ago and never (ever) wanted to leave. Pretty sure I might’ve been asked to leave if I’d kept molesting those barstools – they’re like a bouclé texture on the outside and a leather in the same color on the inside of the seat. In the most perfect blue you’ve ever seen. And the little lamps on the bar (!) and the light fixtures. And the playlist. And everything. I loved it because while I can normally look around any room and tell you where everything is from, I couldn’t place anything in this place. And I didn’t recognize any of the music, but every song was like my favorite song I’d never heard before. It. was. HEAVEN.

I love, love love this tile – in part because I just love it, but also cuz I haven’t seen it done more times than Debbie Does Dallas, like I have this number and all of its friends that look exactly like it. Whenever clients show me that black & white one I’m like MMMMMERRRRSAAAYYYYYYYYY! If it’s possible to overdose on a trend, then pretty sure that one’s been beaten to death ten times over. No but for realz – the blue is stunning. Can you imagine how happy you’d be to walk into your bathroom every day if you had this on the floor? Probably most at home in a Spanish style house or a historic property – I could see it in a little casa in San Diego, and I could also see it in a historic bungalow in Denver.

Case in Point: I did this tile in a little girl’s bath last year in Bloomington, IN. I’d never seen it done before, it was a smidge out there (pink and minty roses on a brown background – who knew?), but it is such a stunner! Pretty sure it’s my most liked image on Instagram in the history of ever.

The prettiest color palette for a teenage girl’s room, or my office, or any outfit (ever).

Loving the Keanu from Arteriors. It’s a little out there, so you can’t be afraid to get a little outta the box to use it. They would be so perfect down the hallway of white tongue-in-groove walls in my Malibu beach house.

I’ve wanted this bag since the beginning of time… a good work bag is hard to find, and I love how perfectly distressed and utilitarian (but not ugly) this guy is. But I could never find the source…

…so I drew a CAD mock-up and tweaked the dimensions for what I need and am having a dude on Etsy make it. BANG. #GSD

I haven’t tried this Lemon Truffle Cake recipe yet, but pretty sure I just gained 5 lbs looking at the picture of it. Easter, anyone?

Happy Birthday to me? Imma ride this train all month long. How many times do you turn 29 for the 9th time? SWEET JESUS WHERE DOES THE TIME GO.

This trough sink and oversize antiqued mirror is BANANAS. Currently doing a powder bath remodel where the space is teenie weenie (shallow)… so shallow that we almost can’t do a regular depth vanity and still have room for a toilet – so we’re looking at doing a wall mount faucet to save some depth and maybe a custom sink… comme ça.

Am dying to use this guy from Lowcountry Originals in a project. I feel much the same way about the industrial design blitz as I do about that aforementioned black and white cement tile, but this is a horse of a different color… almost upscale effortless elegant industrial, in mottled copper. That’s a horsey I can saddle up. I almost just used it in a breakfast room in a cozy-farmhouse-meets-the-Hamptons style project in Chicago.

One of my clients from Hawaii (who we’re renovating a house in San Diego for) sent me this the other day as an example of the style of chests he wants flanking his fireplace – kind of a batik, tribal situation. These are STENCILED ON people. Add stencils to the list of things I’m not keen on, but DANG I can get on board with this. Can you say weekend project?

Is it summertime yet? Also, let’s hear it for giant undapants. Scallop top is from Jessica Simpson. Bottoms are from Aunt Berneda’s box of underoos in the attic, obviously.

Loving so, so much that Leanne Ford does these days – like this dining room.

Those light fixtures – I die. I’ve seen a few on Etsy (now sold out) and while these are also out of stock, they’ll eventually be available again. Don’t tell Chris that I’m in line. He thinks they’re too beachy and not appropriate for a mountain house. I think I’m the designer in this duo and I’ll be the judge of that. I told him yesterday when he tried to veto a pair of pillows to stay in his dance space and step aside. Tehe.

YAAAAAAAS. Can you tell I miss Cali? Man, I don’t mean to but I do. I’m so lucky to still live in such a beautiful place and I do know that – but dang, SoCal was like my spirit animal / happy place / heaven on earth all in one. When I was there a few weeks ago for work and sitting on the beach one day guzzling the sweet salty air, I started looking at real estate (anywhere along the coast I’d want to live), then remembered one of the reasons why we decided Colorado was the move. Single tear.

HOW did this table slip thru my fingers aka get drowned on my Pinterest board? Via Celadon Home. I’d have a hard time settling on a dining table but this I could do. With some big plush cozy dining chairs on casters.

I’m going to Round Top in a few weeks and am tickled to pieces. It’s that GIGANTIC antique festival in Texas, and (gulp) I’m driving there, because my flights and dates got all jacked… plus this way I can lug home things like this in my hooptie. A whopping 16.5 hours each way. ROAD TRIP!

This is the kind of (looks like) vintage glassware – and the kind of cocktail – I have dreams about.

I’m seriously considering trading one of my antique rugs for this. That blue is stunning.

I’ve long loved this shot of the mantle and that ornate mirror. Just tracked the mirror down at Anthro. Would also be really pretty above a dresser, entry table, or in a powder room.

Kristen Lam is my new fave Insta-follow. I don’t follow a lot of the fashionista people (just Interior Designers & Golden Retrievers), but this chick’s style I can get on board with. It’s always effortless and ever-so-tomboy-ish now and then.

That whole “nothing haunts you like the things you didn’t buy” thing is SO TRUE. This was the Merlat Lamp from Visual Comfort ca. a few years ago. Made of limestone and perfectly elegant but also rustic. You betta believe I have saved searches out on eBay, Chairish and every other online consignment shop.

Latest fabric obsession. Looks like a vintage suzani, but on a smaller scale and in velvet. Ottoman, anyone? Thinking about making one… there’s a new shop in our little town (Crested Butte) where I’ve been making and selling a few thangs, just for fun. Also because there’s the tiniest part of me that wants to start making and hoarding cool stuff for clients… and maybe having them in my office and/or a small retail storefront section of my office. A big a$$ ottoman in this beauty seems like a worthwhile endeavor.

YOU GUYS. If we’re Facebook or Insta friends, you know I’ve been pining for the last living piece of this furniture known to man aka this Tramp Art reproduction for MONTHS. The owner finally agreed to strike a deal with me, and now it’s perched in our living room. It’s the prettiest most boho-licious thing I ever did see. It looks PERFECT in our little mountain place now, but it would be just as appropriate in a beach house, lakehouse, outhouse or penthouse.

This is the work of my amazingly talented friend Andrea May. I cannot even with those doors, and all the beautiful lighting just inside them. Andrea is a designer out of La Jolla, and was an active member of a group of designers I was a part of a few years back. I instantly loved her when I met her – she’s warm, wise, funny and wonderful – like your mom, your sister, and the best friend you’ve never met all rolled into one.

Her house is also the coziest eye candy you’ve ever seen. This is her kitchen. I remember standing in it and staring for a long, long time. There are so many details to love, and it almost feels old fashioned – but not in an outdated way… in a formidable, inviting way. The mix is more than whimsical – it’s magical… between the modern sconce on the antique mirror backsplash, the 2-tone hood, the layers and layers of white beadboard / tongue-in-groove on the walls and ceilings, the millwork and the hardware… you scarcely know where to start with what to love.

Pretty sure I’ve posted this before… or maybe just on Insta… and it’s so simple but it always resonates with me. Maybe because I need to do a better job of it (?) so I realize how vital it is. And I think it means something different for everyone… for me, a lot of times it’s saying no to things – to work I know I don’t have the bandwidth to take on, or to things I don’t particularly want to do with the fraction of precious free time I have. Other times it’s making time for what I know I need to recharge; whether that’s a bubble bath or a Scandal binge with a glass of wine or a phone call with a girlfriend. I’m currently co-habitating with **probably** the most wonderful guy there ever was, but I don’t care if he’s Brad Pitt or the Dalai Lama himself – I’m realizing how VERY independent I was before this, and how much I relished (and still need) my alone time now and then… to recuperate so I can fire on all cylinders. Oh, my God… what am I gonna do when I have kids and don’t have time to pee without itty bitty lungs screaming and itty bitty hands reaching under the door? Lord help me! How do you guys do it?

It’s cool. I’ll have Gus babysit.

PS… I usually troll through my saved stuff on Insta to incorporate into these posts, and there’s SO MUCH MORE on there. So I’ll have to toss up another post soon with all of those goodies cuz they shouldn’t be missed.